Willi Bleicher spent his early professional life training as a baker before evolving into one of Germany's most prominent post-war trade union leaders. Born in 1907 in Bad Cannstatt, his trajectory shifted from the clandestine resistance against the Nazi regime to a powerful administrative presence within the metalworkers' unions of Stuttgart.
Early Life and Industrial Exposure
The fifth of eight children, Bleicher experienced the economic hardships of early 20th-century Germany. His father was a machinist at the Daimler-Benz plant, where his mother also worked in the canteen. After struggling with formal schooling, Bleicher sought an apprenticeship as a baker in 1923, later joining the German Food and Confectionery Workers' Association. By 1927, he had transitioned to the Daimler-Benz plant as a foundry assistant, marking his entry into the metal industry.
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Bleicher became deeply involved in communist politics during the late 1920s, briefly joining the Communist Party before aligning with the Communist Party (Opposition) due to ideological disagreements with the hardline leadership. Following the Nazi rise to power in 1933, he operated within the resistance, distributing anti-fascist leaflets. His underground activities led to his arrest by the Gestapo in January 1936 while working at the Daimler-Benz site. He was subsequently sentenced to thirty months for high treason.
Buchenwald and Post-War Leadership
Transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1938, Bleicher was later recognized for his efforts to save a child prisoner, Stefan Jerzy Zweig. After the war, he dedicated his career to the German Metal Workers' Union, known as IG Metall. He served as the organization's chairperson in Stuttgart from 1951 to 1955, and again from 1959 until his retirement in 1972, shaping industrial relations in the region.
Fast facts
- Born: 1907, Bad Cannstatt
- Died: 1981, Stuttgart
- Righteous Among the Nations: 1965
- Carl von Ossietzky Medal: 1977
- Employment: IG Metall chairperson (1951-1955, 1959-1972)
- Early Employer: Daimler-Benz AG (1927-1928)
- Burial Site: Hauptfriedhof Stuttgart
Questions readers ask
Why was Willi Bleicher designated as Righteous Among the Nations?
He was honored by Yad Vashem in 1965 for risking his life to save a child prisoner named Stefan Jerzy Zweig while detained at Buchenwald.
Was Willi Bleicher always a trade unionist?
No, he initially trained and qualified as a baker in 1923 before eventually moving into metalworking and trade union leadership roles.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1965
- Carl von Ossietzky Medal — 1977
- Worked as trade unionist, resistance fighter and baker
